EV makers choose NVIDIA DRIVE for automated driving

Additionally, NVIDIA announced the adoption of its NVIDIA DRIVE Orin platform by EV manufacturers GWM (Great Wall Motor), ZEEKR, and Xiaomi to enhance their intelligent automated-driving systems.

“The transportation industry is embracing centralised compute for highly automated and autonomous driving,” said Xinzhou Wu, Vice President of Automotive at NVIDIA. “The AI car computer of choice for today’s intelligent fleets is NVIDIA DRIVE Orin, with automakers increasingly looking to the advanced capabilities and AI performance of its successor, NVIDIA DRIVE Thor, for their future vehicle roadmaps.”

DRIVE Thor represents the next generation in centralised car computing, combining a multitude of intelligent functions into a single AI compute platform. This integration facilitates autonomous driving and parking, monitoring of drivers and passengers, and AI cockpit functionality.

Li Auto is transitioning to NVIDIA's DRIVE Thor from its current use of two DRIVE Orin processors in its L-series models' AD Max assisted-driving system. These processors collectively deliver 508 trillion operations per second (TOPS), managing sensor data in real time to support comprehensive autonomous driving features.

With the introduction of AD Max 3.0, Li Auto aims to enhance the driving experience through advanced AI models, offering safer and more comfortable intelligent driving.

GWM, a leading Chinese new energy vehicle maker, plans to develop its high-end intelligent-driving system, Coffee Pilot, on the DRIVE Orin platform. This system is designed to support full-scenario smart navigation and assisted-driving functions without the need for high-precision maps. GWM's collaboration with NVIDIA will see the system's debut in WEY models, featuring advanced driving features.

“LLM-driven AI technology will profoundly enhance future mobility as well as the entire automotive industry,” said a GWM spokesperson. “GWM is committed to working with NVIDIA and other industry-leading players to offer greener, smarter mobility for all.”

ZEEKR, Geely’s premium EV subsidiary, has introduced the ZEEKR Luxury Sedan, featuring NVIDIA DRIVE Orin. The sedan includes a full-stack smart driving system powered by dual DRIVE Orin systems-on-a-chip.

“ZEEKR is proud to work with NVIDIA on innovative, safe autonomous driving capabilities,” said Chen Qi, Vice President of ZEEKR. “The new ZEEKR Luxury Sedan’s in-house-developed ADAS system is made possible with the energy-efficient, high-performance NVIDIA DRIVE car computing platform.”

Xiaomi EV has also announced its first EV, the SU7 sedan, based on a dual DRIVE Orin configuration. This sedan incorporates Xiaomi's leading large language model for perception and decision-making, ensuring seamless navigation through Chinese cities.

NVIDIA DRIVE Orin, in use since 2022 in various vehicles, provides up to 254 TOPS and supports a range of self-driving levels from 2+ to 5.